/ 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2013 


http://archive.org/details/sixtypaintingsbyOOclar 


SIXTY  PAINTINGS  BY 
ALEXANDER  H.  WYANT 


described  by 
Eliot  Clark 


New  York 
PRIVATELY  PRINTED 

MCMXX 

\ 


Copyright,  iqao.  by 
Frederic  Faircluld  Sherman 


CONTENTS 


CONTENTS 


NO.  TITLE  PAGE 

1  Mount  Equinox   8 

2  The  Old  Home:^ead   13 

3  TKe  Turbulent  Stream   13 

4  Mouth  of  tke  Ausable  River      ....  14 

5  Hopkins  Peak,  Keene,  N.  H   14 

6  Coa^  Scene   19 

7  Newport  Rocks   19 

8  Avalanche  Lake   20 

9  View  in  County  Kerry,  Ireland      ...  25 

10  TKe  Flume,  Opalescent  River,  Adirondacks  26 

11  Autumn  in  the  Woods   31 

12  Adirondack  Ledge   32 

1 3  Forenoon  in  the  Adirondacks     ....  37 

14  Keene  Valley   38 

15  Landscape   43 

16  The  Connecticut  Valley   44 

17  Landscape  in  the  Adirondacks   .     .     .     .  49 

18  In  the  Adirondacks   50 

19  An  ArkviUe  Landscape   5^ 

20  The  Dawn  

21  Landscape   56 

22  Passing  Shadows   61 

23  Gray  Day   62 

24  Summer  Grays   62 

25  Landscape   67 

26  Summer  Landscape   68 

27  A  Gray  Day   68 

28  Sunset  after  Storm   73 

29  Morning  at  Navesink   74 


NO.                                            TITLE  PAGE 

30  Autumn  Afternoon   jc^ 

31  The  Coming  Storm   80 

32  An  Augu^  Day   80 

33  Mountain  Lake   85 

34  Adirondack  Solitude   86 

3  5  Summer  Silence   8b 

36  Spring   91 

37  A  Wayside  Pool   92 

38  Housatonic  Valley   97 

39  Summer  Evening   98 

40  Landscape   98 

41  Autumn  in  Ark ville   103 

42  Adirondack  Vi^a   104 

43  November   109 

44  A  Gray  Day   109 

4  5  A  Wet  Afternoon   113 

46  Keene  Valley   114 

47  TKe  Broad  Silent  Valley   119 

48  November  Day   120 

49  In  tKe  Hollow   120 

50  Any  Man's  Land   125 

5 1  Silver  Birches                                          .  1 26 

52  V/ood  Interior   126 

5  3  Moonligkt  and  Fro^   131 

54  Woodland  Study   132 

5  5  Rocks  with  Waterfall   132 

56  Afternoon   137 

57  TKe  Lonely  Farmhouse   137 

58  An  Old  Beeck   i  38 

59  Drifting  Clouds   143 

60  Passing  Shadows   144 


SIXTY  PAINTINGS  BY 
ALEXANDER  H.  WYANT 


[I] 

MOUNT  EQUINOX 

Height,  12  inches;  width,  1614  inches 

A  complete  and  representative  example  of  the 
early  period,  painted  in  the  manner  of  the  Diisseldorf 
scKool  tKen  in  vogue.  In  subject  it  follows  tKe  roman? 
tic  idea  of  primitive  wildness  and  grandeur. 

A  Keavy  storm  approaches,  the  vaporous  clouds 
obscuring  the  mountain  as  it  rises  to  the  right.  In  the 
di^ance,  the  snow?covered  peak  of  Mount  Equinox 
is  touched  by  warm,  pinkish  light. 

Across  the  ^ream  the  nearer  plane  is  in  sombre 
shadow  in  contra^  to  the  cool  grays  and  indii^incft 
forms  where  the  rain  is  faUing  beyond.  In  the  fore* 
ground  the  ledge  of  rock  that  borders  the  ^ream 
catches  the  light,  and  from  the  embankment  a  group 
of  trees  with  gnarled  roots,  rising  to  the  top  of  the 
canvas,  terminates  the  composition. 

It  is  thinly  painted  on  a  non;absorbent  ground,  over 
a  monotone  drawing  in  brown.  The  detail  is  ren? 
dered  with  photographic  precision.  The  lights  are 
warm  gray,  introducing  opaque  white;  the  moun* 
tains  are  bluesgray ;  the  nearer  plane  is  in  warm  green 
and  brown. 

Signed  on  rock  in  left  foreground,  A.  H.  Wyant,  1866. 


8 


[2] 


THE  OLD  HOMESTEAD 

Height,  15  inches;  width,  26  inches 

An  early  example,  painted  witk  tke  right  hand, 
showing  careful  naturalistic  ^udy  and  a  keen  obsers 
vation  and  rendering  of  form. 

From  a  rocky  and  rugged  hillside,  partly  grown 
with  trees  in  summer  foliage,  one  looks  over  a  valley 
with  its  winding  ^ream  below.  A  white  farm  house 
is  seen  among  the  trees  to  the  right,  and  the  gray  top 
of  a  roof  indicates  another  habitation. 

The  color  is  in  subdued  grays,  blue  and  green  with 
contra:^  of  brown.  The  painting  is  thin,  with  a  con? 
scientious  and  camera^Hke  fidelity  to  detail. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant,  1869. 

[3] 

THE  TURBULENT  STREAM 

Height,  11  inches;  width,  17^  inches 

A  ^ream  rapidly  flowing  over  massive  rocks 
winds  its  troubled  way  downwards  from  the  mouns 
tain  tops.  The  Hght  hits  the  white  water  as  it  falls, 
forming  a  central  and  effective  contrast  to  the  steep 
banks  that  confine  it.  A  dark  stunted  growth,  to  the 
left,  forms  a  picturesque  silhouette  against  the  sky. 

This  is  an  early  example.  It  is  thinly  and  carefully 
painted  over  a  brown,  modulated,  transparent  under* 
tone,  with  little  interest  or  variation  in  the  color. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant. 


13 


[4] 

MOUTH  OF  THE  AUSABLE  RIVER 

Height,  15  inches;  width,  25  inches 

This  canvas  is  particularly  interesting  to  the  stu? 
dent  as  showing  tke  direct  evidence  oftKe  painter  s 
work  from  nature  at  tkis  time,  without  later  modifica* 
tion.  TKe  first  plane  is  defined  by  a  dark  stone  fence 
wKicK  runs  abruptly  across  tbe  picture.  The  country 
beyond  slopes  toward  Lake  Cbamplain. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant.  Inscribed  at  the  right  with 
the  wooden  end  of  the  brush  in  the  wet  paint,  "Mouth  of  the  Ausable 
River,  Aug.  20  72." 

FORMERLY  OWNED  BY  THE  LATE  GUSTAV  REICHARD. 

[5] 

HOPKINS  PEAK,  KEENE,  N.  H. 

Height,  10  inches;  width,  14  inches 

In  tbe  fall  of  tbe  year.  Tbe  mountain,  seen  in  faint 
sunligbt,  is  placed  in  tbe  upper  part  of  tbe  picture. 
To  tbe  left  it  is  obscured  by  clouds  indicating  a  flurry 
of  snow;  wbile  above  is  a  faint  note  of  blue  sky.  In 
tbe  middlesground  a  mass  of  dark  trees  leads  to  tbe 
rigbt  over  a  bill.  A  patb  leads  along  tbe  billside  on 
wbicb  are  seen  two  bunters  witb  dogs.  In  tbe  fore* 
ground  is  a  patcb  of  grass  still  green,  witb  late  flows 
ers,  and  beyond,  covering  tbe  bill,  withered  grasses. 
Although  an  early  example  (painted  probably  before 
'69),  it  shows  hints  of  Wy ant's  later  color. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  A.  P.  COLL. 

14 


[6] 


COAST  SCENE 

Height,  12  inches;  width,  20  inches 

It  IS  a  clear  day.  TKe  sky  is  unclouded.  From  an 
inland  elevation  one  looks  out  to  tKe  blue  sea,  and  the 
suggestion  of  white  waves  breaking  against  di^ant 
rocks.  TKe  first  plane  is  terminated  by  a  massive  gray 
ledge  of  rocks  below  wKicK  a  stream  flows  seaward. 
TKe  horizon  is  broken  by  low  scrub  oaks  on  tbe  further 
hills.  Touches  of  yellow  ochre,  indicating  withered 
grass,  relieve  the  dominant  green  hue  of  the  ground. 

Signed  at  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 

FORMERLY  OWNED  BY  THE  LATE  GUSTAV  REICH ARD. 

[7] 

NEWPORT  ROCKS 

Height,  16  inches;  width,  26  inches 

A  barren  rocky  ledge  runs  diagonally  across  the 
composition,  leading  downwards  to  a  roUing,  rugged 
wind?swept  shore,  beyond  which  the  sea  horizon  ter? 
minates  the  perspective.  A  schooner  sails  before  the 
wind.  The  hard  gray  rocks  are  firmly  drawn  and 
masterfully  modulated,  while  the  ground,  with  its 
suggestive  texture,  gives  them  weighty  support.  This 
is  evidently  a  study  from  nature,  having  all  the  char? 
acteristics  of  a  particular  place. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  BURTON  MANSFIELD. 


19 


[8] 


AVALANCHE  LAKE 

Height,  36  inches;  width,  60  inches 

A  great  mountain  promontory  rises  abruptly  at 
tke  bend  of  a  deep  flowing  river.  It  is  a  gray  day. 
Tke  wind  is  blowing,  tke  clouds  are  flying,  the  ligbt 
is  changing.  From  tke  beigbts  of  tbe  mountain  slope 
a  steep  rocky  gorge  makes  its  rugged  way  to  tbe 
cleared  land  below.  A  few  tall  trees  rise  under  tbe 
protection  of  tbe  massive  cbfFs.  Tbe  composition  runs 
diagonally  across  tbe  canvas.  Tbe  ligbt  and  dark  is 
finely  arranged  witb  tbe  introduction  of  clouds  and 
cloud  sbadows.  Tbis  varies  tbe  contrast  of  contour 
and  adds  greatly  to  tbe  dominant  action.  There  is 
a  splendid  relation  between  tbe  qualities  of  tbe  air, 
water  and  land,  tbe  resistant  and  tbe  non-resistant. 
Tbis  IS  one  oftbe  triumphs  oftbe  painter's  transitional 
period,  and  one  of  tbe  strongest  illustrative  and  real* 
istic  examples  which  be  ever  produced.  Its  size  gives 
it  an  additional  and  impressing  grandeur.  The  tone 
is  built  up  with  variations  of  gray,  graysgreen,  brown, 
and  gray=:blue. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  W.  S.  LADD. 


20 


[9] 


VIEW  IN  COUNTY  KERRY,  IRELAND 

Height,  26  inches;  width,  40  inches 

A  cloud  skacJow  is  tkrown  over  the  central  plane 
of  the  picture,  becoming  lighter  in  value  and  more 
local  in  color  as  it  nears  tke  foreground.  In  the  dis* 
tant,  illumined  plane,  an  arid  range  of  mountains  is 
pictured  in  rugged  relief  against  tke  sky.  A  lake  re* 
fleeting  tke  cool  colors  of  tke  sky  attracts  tke  attention 
to  tke  foreground,  to  tke  rigkt  of  wkick,  under  tke 
skelter  of  a  massive  ledge  of  gray  rocks,  is  a  peasant's 
kut  witk  tkatcked  roof  of  reddisk  kue  and  wkite* 
wasked  walls.  Tke  foreground  is  in  gray  green, 
broken  by  a  rock  wkick  leads  tke  eye  of  tke  spectator 
to  tke  rigkt,  and  is  taken  into  tke  picture  again  by  tke 
rocky  ledge  and  tke  small  patk  leading  to  tke  open 
door  of  tke  nouse. 

Tke  sky  is  broken  by  clouds  wkick  are  arranged 
in  tkree  planes.  Tke  first  plane,  in  skadow,  is  out* 
kned  against  tke  second  plane  in  ligkt,  wkile  tke  grays 
blue  in  tke  center,  and  at  tke  edge  of  tke  frame,  indi? 
cate  tke  tkird  plane  beyond.  Tke  tecknique  is  quite 
free  and  direct,  witk  very  Uttle  under  ^painting. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
METROPOLITAN  MUSEUM  OF  ART. 


25 


[10] 


THE  FLUME-OPALESCENT  RIVER 
-ADIRONDACKS 

Height,  47 inches;  width,  35J^  inches 

A  Stream  flows  between  tke  rocky,  precipitous 
sides  of  a  mountain  gorge.  The  ligHt  is  concentrated 
upon  the  white  water  in  the  center  oftke  composition 
to  tlie  left  of  wKicK  rises  perpendicularly  a  massive 
overhanging  rock.  The  waterfall  above  is  confined  to 
its  narrow  way  by  dark  cliffs  between  wbicb  one 
has  aVs  like  vista  of the  clouded  sky.  A  touch  of  blue 
tells  of  the  sun  which  casts  a  soft  warm,  yellowish 
light  over  the  upper  wood^grown  ravine.  V/arm 
browns  and  deep  rich  greens  of  wet  clinging  moss 
concentrate  the  attention  to  the  rocks  in  the  center, 
while  in  the  foreground  some  vegetation  of  a  blues 
green  color  grows  from  the  earth  in  the  crevices  of  the 
rocks.  The  pine  trees  above  are  in  deep  greensbrown. 
The  paint  is  applied  directly  over  a  modulated  under* 
tone  of  transparent  brown,  the  cooler  colors  being 
added  with  a  full  brush,  the  shad  ows  kept  warm  and 
thin. 

This  picture  testifies  to  the  ^rong  realistic  founda= 
tion  on  which  the  later  work  of  Wyant  was  based. 
Freed  from  the  more  picayune  manner  of  the  earlier 
efforts,  it  shows  the  artist  as  an  able  and  competent 
painter  and  a  well=trained  draughtsman.  It  is  a  faiths 
ful  and  forceful  representation  of  a  particular  place. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 

EVAKS  COLLECTION,  NATIONAL  GALLERY,  WASHINGTON. 


26 


[11] 


AUTUMN  IN  THE  WOODS 

Height,  4854  inches;  width,  36^  inches 

In  a  partially  cleared  wood,  wKere  the  slender 
beecli  and  birck  trees  Kave  been  left  standing,  two 
trees  rise,  columnlike,  from  tbe  first  plane,  wkicb  is 
in  shadow,  their  foUage  decorating  the  upper  termi* 
nation  of  the  canvas.  The  vista  through  the  trees 
shows  the  sunlit  ground,  above  which  the  contour  of 
the  more  distant  trees  creates  an  effective  design 
again^the  sky.  ReaUstically  rendered,  the  composis 
tion  is  nevertheless  carefiilly  conceived  and  harmonic 
ously  balanced.  Wyant  painted  several  pictures 
about  this  time  (in  the  early  eighties)  of  a  similar  sub? 
ject,  one  of  which  still  remains  uncompleted,  but  in 
which  the  form  is  fully  modulated  in  a  transparent 
monotone.  It  indicates  how  important  form  was  to 
the  painter  at  this  period.  The  trees  are  in  full  foli* 
age,  the  color  is  in  variations  of  green  and  brown 
broken  by  the  silvery  grays  of  the  tree  trunks  and 
sky. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  HAROLD  I.  PRATT. 


3^ 


[12] 


ADIRONDACK  LEDGE 

Height,  42^/^  inches;  width,  33^^  inches 

Tall  slender  trees,  from  wKicK  tKe  leaves  Kave 
partly  fallen,  rise  on  either  side  of  tKe  canvas  to  its 
termination  above.  Between  tKe  trees  some  small 
busKes  and  evergreens,  partly  in  sKadow,  bring  out  by 
contrast  tKe  ledge  of  rock  beyond,  above  vv^KicK  tKe 
sky  indicates  tKe  cKanging  ligKts  of  tKe  day. 

A  mountain  brook  occupies  tKe  immediate  fore? 
ground.  TKe  tKeme  is  one  of  cKiaroscuro  ratKer  tKan 
color,  tKe  general  tone  being  built  up  w^itK  variations 
of  gray,  gray^blue,  duU  gold  and  neutral  greens.  TKe 
pigment  texture  Kas  been  carefully  rendered  and  ims 
parts  to  tKe  form  a  sense  of  substance  and  solidity. 
Painted  in  tKe  early  eigKties,  tKis  picture,  as  tKe  size 
indicates,  is  an  important  example  of  tKat  period. 
Wyant  was  not,  Kowever,  always  Kappiest  in  Kis 
larger  canvases,  tKe  great  effort  to  produce  wKicK 
was  beyond  Kis  limited  endurance.  AltKougK  emis 
nently  cKaracteristic  of  tKe  painter  in  its  subtle  ren= 
dering  of  cKiaroscuro  and  its  temperamental  and  sen? 
sitive  tecKnique,  tKis  picture  combines  two  different 
tKemes,  wKicK  Ke  later  learned  to  treat  separately. 
It  Kas  not  tKat  cKarming  intimacy  wKicK  one  at  once 
feels  wKen  tKe  sky  is  obliterated  and  tKe  ligKt  concen? 
trated  on  tKe  ledge,  nor  Kas  it  tKat  feeling  of  distance 
and  aerial  expanse  tKat  in  many  of  Wy ant's  pictures 
makes  sucK  an  immediate  and  emotional  appeal. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  GEORGE  S.  PALMER. 


3^ 


[13] 


FORENOON  IN  THE  ADIRONDACKS 

Height,  33  inches;  width,  42%  inches 

The  color  sckeme  is  in  neutral  kues  of  blue,  green 
and  brown,  and  in  a  ligbter  key  tban  most  of  Wyant's 
pictures. 

Tbe  first  plane  is  veiled  in  soft  cloud  sbadow,  wbile 
tbe  full  ligbt  of  noon  plays  over  tbe  distant  mountain 
valley.  From  tbe  central  foreground  rises  a  stately 
beecb  tree,  firmly  and  fully  modeled,  its  leaves  deco= 
rating  tbe  upper  part  of  tbe  picture,  tbe  Kne  of  v^bicb 
is  carried  down  on  tbe  rigbt  by  a  dark  massive  group 
of  trees  indicating  tbe  edge  of  a  forest. 

Tbe  foreground,  in  variations  of  graysgreen  and 
neutral  brown,  is  given  solidity  and  structure  by  care^ 
fully  arranged  pigment  textures. 

Below  tbe  foreground  plane  a  small  lake  is  diss 
cerned,  tbe  distant  bank  of  wbicb  is  bordered  by  a 
rocky  ledge  witb  sparsely  grown  trees. 

In  tbe  extreme  distance,  a  mountain  is  faintly  seen 
tbrougb  tbe  summer  baze,  wbile  notes  of  wbite  smoke 
indicate  forest  fires. 

Tbe  sky  is  veiled  with  delicate  wbite  cloud  film, 
tbrougb  wbicb  is  seen  tbe  gray?blue  of  tbe  more  diss 
tant  sky. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant,  '84. 

HEARN  COLLECTION,  METROPOLITAN  MUSEUM  OF  ART. 


37 


[14] 


KEENE  VALLEY 

Height,  18  inches;  width,  30  inches 

In  a  rolling  country  a  road  winds  its  way  to  the 
valley  beyond.  To  tKe  rigkt  a  deep  embankment  is 
seen  in  sKadow,  from  tbe  top  of  wkicb  a  group  of  dark 
trees  breaks  the  sky  line  in  prominent  relief.  TKe  dif 
fused  ligbt  plays  over  tbe  distant  valley  revealed  in 
sKades  of  delicate  gold,  and  blending  into  cooler  Kues 
as  it  recedes  to  tbe  far  horizon.  The  light  is  concen? 
trated  in  the  central  sky  where  passing  clouds  catch 
the  warm  sunlight,  while  above  clouds  in  cooler 
shadow  repeat  the  Kne  of  the  horizon.  A  touch  or 
blue  indicates  the  distant  realm  beyond.  The  colors 
in  the  shad  ow  of  the  first  plane  are  variations  of  deep 
brown  contrasted  by  neutral  greens.  The  rocKS  add 
touches  of  gray  and  accent  the  design.  The  scheme 
is  more  truly  one  of  chiaroscuro  than  of  color  and  the 
values  and  relation  of  light  and  dark  are  subtly  ars 
ranged.  It  is  very  carefully  painted  and  finely  cons 
structed.  / 

Signed  at  right  of  center,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
PROPERTY  OF  THE  BROOKLYN  MUSEUM. 


38 


[15] 


LANDSCAPE 

Height,  36  inches;  width,  60  inches 

An  important  and  mature  example,  carefully  cons 
ceived  in  composition,  and  built  up  gradually  from 
heavy  under^painting  to  the  last  light  scumble  and 
transparent  glaze.  The  predominant  value  is  consids 
erably  lower  than  the  gold  of  the  frame;  the  color 
scheme  is  in  variations  of  brown,  warm  grays  and 
neutral  greens,  with  occasional  touches  of  more  in? 
tense  hues  of  red  and  blue^green  in  the  foreground. 
On  the  right  is  a  dark,  massive  and  well^modulated 
tree,  in  the  deep  shadow  of  which  one  discerns  a 
young  girl  with  a  red  cap  and  scarf,  followed  by  a  dog. 
She  is  driving  the  cows  homeward  through  the  sun* 
lit  meadow  which  occupies  the  central  part  of  the 
picture.  A  rugged  rock  breaks  the  foreground  at  the 
left  and  emphasizes  the  sloping  ground,  while  young 
trees  rising  above  the  horizon  concentrate  the  atten? 
tion  to  the  middle  plane,  which  is  in  deep  diffused 
shadow.  In  contrast,  the  sun;illumined  lake  makes  a 
horizontal  termination,  beyond  which  the  mountains 
ous  distance  is  lost  in  a  heavy  graysblue  atmospheric 
haze.  The  clouds  move  from  right  to  left,  the  Hght 
being  concentrated  in  the  center  with  warm  grays 
and  indications  of  pearly  blue  sky  beyond. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
CORCORAN  ART  GALLERY,  WASHINGTON. 


43 


[16] 


THE  CONNECTICUT  VALLEY 

Height,  38  inches;  width,  54  inches 

This  is  one  of  Wy  ant's  mo^  complete  and  impress 
sive  canvases.  The  composition  is  noble  and  serene, 
the  color  rich  and  harmonious,  the  technique  ample 
and  adequate.  The  linear  design  is  carried  out  by 
well?balanced  and  sensitively  drawn  tree  forms  which 
are  seen  in  even  and  rhythmical  silhouette  again^ 
the  sky.  The  fir^  plane  is  in  shadow,  the  predomina* 
ting  colors  being  blue  green  or  emerande  over  an  uns 
dertone  of  neutral  browns,  relieved  by  gray  rocks 
which  enforce  the  design.  From  the  left  a  path  leads 
to  a  massive  leafy  group  of  trees,  through  which  the 
sky  is  indicated  by  Hghts  which  accentuate  their 
great  beauty  of  form. 

The  warm  afternoon  Hght  plays  across  the  di^ant 
valley  in  lines  of  gray  and  gold  contra^ing  to  the 
cooler  colors  of  the  foreground.  A  country  house 
ne^les  among  the  trees  to  the  right.  Creamscolored 
clouds  float  lightly  over  the  va^  expanse  of  sky,  which 
forms  a  background  of  gray=blue.  The  clouds  in 
shadow  are  of  darker  value,  and  warm  gray  brown 
in  color. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  SAMUEL  UNTERMEYER. 


44 


[17] 


LANDSCAPE  IN  THE  ADIRONDACKS 

Height,  20%  inches;  width,  30%  inches 

On  tke  left  a  group  of  trees  is  pidlured  in  dark  res 
lief  again^  a  delicately  illumined  cloud.  TKe  fir^ 
plane  is  in  sKadow  colors  of  neutral  brown  and  green, 
wKile  tke  soft  ligKt,  in  variations  of  warm  grays  and 
gold,  plays  over  tke  meadow  and  distant  Kills  beyond. 
In  tbe  center  a  pool  of  water,  refledting  tbe  sky,  res 
lieves  tbe  more  sombre  colors  of  tbe  foreground.  Low, 
partly  grown,  trees  balance  tbe  composition  on  tbe 
rigbt,  below  wbicb  gray  notes  of  outcropping  rock 
give  strudlure  and  solidity  to  tbe  ground. 

Tbe  sky  is  of  gray,  witb  floating  clouds  of  Hgbter 
and  warmer  bue  and  a  sugge^ion  of  blue  in  tbe  upper 
part  of  tbe  sky  to  tbe  left.  Tbis  is  a  typical  and  repres 
sentative  example  of  tbe  mature  work  of  Wyant.  It 
is  fully  and  completely  considered.  Tbe  textures  are 
built  up  witb  great  care,  and  tbe  value  relations  are 
subtly  modulated  to  bring  out  tbe  scbeme  of  cbiaross 
euro. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 

HEARN  COLLECTION,  METROPOLITAN  MUSEUM  OF  ART. 


49 


[18] 


IN  THE  ADIRONDACKS 

Height,  2454  inches;  width,  18  inches 

The  efFedl  of  light  and  shadow,  with  its  ever  vary? 
ing  changes,  exercised  upon  Wyant  an  absorbing 
fascination.  For  him  it  had  a  mysterious  charm  quite 
apart  ft?om  its  reaUstic  significance.  Comparatively 
few  of  his  pictures  are  seen  in  full  sunlight.  Always 
the  sky  is  clouded,  and  the  sun  casts  a  diffused  radi? 
ance  over  the  landscape. 

The  color  of  the  present  example  is  particularly 
rich  and  beautiful.  Although  the  predominant  tone 
is  a  transparent  golden  brown,  this  is  varied  by  an  in* 
finite  number  of  related  hues,  touches  of  yellow  ochre, 
sienna  and  light  red,  while  the  turquoise  blue,  seen 
beyond  the  drifting  moisture4aden  clouds,  gives  a 
note  of  effedtive  and  exquisite  contra^.  This  color  is 
echoed  in  the  foreground  pool,  where  the  grasses  are 
touched  with  deep  emerande  green. 

The  mountain  vista  seen  through  the  trees  is 
golden?hued;  the  light  being  heightened  as  it  touches 
the  warm  gray  rocks  in  the  center  of  the  composition 
and  repeated  in  the  slender  birches,  the  foHage  of 
which  forms  a  deUcate  halftone  in  gold.  The  light  on 
the  tall  birch  tree  in  the  foreground  is  a  beautiful  bit  of 
pigment  quaHty,  which  has  been  caressed  by  the 
brush  and  palette  knife,  and  over  which  in  transparent 
color,  contrasting  hues  have  been  drawn.  The  trees 
to  the  left  make  an  effective  pattern  again^  the  sky. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 

50 


[19] 


AN  ARKVILLE  LANDSCAPE 

Height,  19^4  inches;  width,  275^  inches 

Altkough  this  example  has  not  tke  charm  of  a 
freely  handled  transparent  water  color,  it  has,  through 
the  skilful  use  of  opaque  color,  the  complete  fulness 
and  volume  which  \Vyant  obtained  in  his  pidtures  in 
oil.  It  is  in  a  high  key  and  has  retained  all  of  its  origin 
nal  delicacy  and  freshness. 

A  group  of  trees  in  cool  graysgreen  colors  is  placed 
in  the  center  of  the  canvas,  to  the  right  of  which  the 
gradually  rising  ground  cuts  again^  the  sky. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  W.  H.  ABERCROMBIE. 

[20] 
THE  DAWN 

Height,  22  inches;  width,  30  inches 

A  charadleri^ic  composition  in  which  a  decora* 
tive  group  of  trees  is  seen  at  the  left  bordering  a  flat 
country  broken  only  by  scraggly  bushes  and  field 
flowers.  A  pool  refledting  the  sky  occupies  the  im? 
mediate  foreground,  with  gray  rocks  at  the  left.  The 
solidity  of  the  earth  is  exceptionally  well  realized. 
The  sky  is  rendered  with  carefully  arranged,  but 
dchcate  cloud  forms. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  GEORGE  LINDSAY. 


55 


[21] 


LANDSCAPE 

Height,  36  inches;  width,  60  inches 

A  simple  but  impressive  composition  in  whicK  one 
feels  the  illimitable  expanse  of  land  and  sky.  A  stream 
runs  from  tbe  central  foreground,  winding  tbrougb  a 
flat,  low4ying  country,  tbe  borizon  of  wbicb  extends 
in  unbroken  perspective.  Tbe  land  slopes  gradually 
upwards  at  tbe  left,  wbere  a  large  oak  tree  breaks  tbe 
sky  line  at  tbe  central  plane.  Tbe  sun  casts  a  golden 
glow  over  tbe  extreme  di^ance.  Tbe  fir^  plane,  in 
sbadow,  is  painted  in  bues  of  brown  and  variations 
of  gray  and  grayjgreen.  Tbe  sky  is  extremely  fine. 
Sunsillumined  clouds  fly  over  tbe  borizon,  wbile  tbe 
upper  area  is  in  sbadow.  Tbe  blue^green  color  of  tbe 
clear  sky  is  in  striking  and  effective  contra^  to  tbe 
J  redominating  bues  of  gold  and  brown. 

Tbis  is  not  only  one  of  tbe  large^  but  one  of  tbe 
mo^  di^inguisbed  of  Wy ant's  canvases. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 


5fo 


[22] 


PASSING  SHADOWS 

Height,  26  inches;  width,  39  inches 

TKe  ligKt  is  difRised  and  varying,  as  indicated  by 
the  clouded  and  ever  changing  sky.  It  is  a  tkeme  in 
neutral  browns  and  greens  of  wKicb  \Vyant  was  so 
fond  and  wbicK  be  so  often  repeated. 

Tbe  subject  is  seen  from  a  clearing  on  a  mountain 
billside,  tbe  foreground  of  wbicb  is  broken  by  vari? 
colored  leaves  and  grasses,  and  by  tbe  gray  uncovered 
rock.  Toucbes  of  warm  surJigbt  play  bere  and  tbere, 
sbowing  a  patb  leading  downwards  to  tbe  central 
plane,  wbicb  being  in  sbadow  forms  a  darkborizontal 
barrier,  tbe  Hne  of  wbicb  is  varied  by  tbe  rounded 
form  of  an  oak  tree  rising  before  it.  To  tbe  rigbt,  a 
slender  gracefully  formed  bircb  tree  is  seen  in  ligbt 
outline  again:^  a  dark  background  of  fir  trees.  Tbe 
foliage  is  indicated  witb  pbotograpbic  precision.  Tbe 
distant  valley  is  batbed  in  warm  sunligbt,  and  beyond, 
tbe  undulating  mountain  range  is  in  cool  contra^  to 
tbe  sky. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  THE  LATE  F.  S.  SMITHERS. 


6l 


[23] 


GRAY  DAY 

Height,  18^  inches;  width,  24^  inches 

TKe  contra:^  formed  by  the  dark  ground  again^ 
tKe  sky,  the  horizon  of  wkicK  is  placed  frankly  in  the 
middle  of  tKe  canvas,  at  once  creates  an  impression  of 
unvarying  expanse.  Note  tke  v^ay  in  wkicK  tKe  trees 
at  tKe  left  start  tKe  rKy  tKm  and  subtle  interplay  of  line, 
wKicK  altKougK  breaking  tKe  Korizon  empKasizes  its 
desolate  continuity.  TKe  center  of  tKe  balance  and 
point  of  focal  concentration  is  just  to  tKe  rigKt  of  tKe 
center. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  SIDNEY  CURTIS. 

[24] 

SUMMER  GRAYS 

Height,  15%  inches;  width,  20^  inches 

A  pool  reflecting  tKe  gray  of  tKe  sky  leads  into  tKe 
pidture  from  tKe  rigKt  foreground.  In  tKe  middles 
ground  tKe  ligKt  slender  trunks  of  two  trees  break  tKe 
Korizontal  Kne  of  tKe  distant  woods  and  come  in  dark 
relief  against  tKe  sky.  TKe  land  Kas  been  cleared, 
leaving  a  line  of  trees  at  tKe  top  of  tKe  slope  wKicK  ter? 
minates  tKe  perspective  at  tKe  left.  TKe  clouds  move 
diagonally  to  tKe  rigKt  in  counteradlion  to  tKe  stream 
in  tKe  foreground. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  SIDNEY  CURTIS. 


62 


[25] 


LANDSCAPE 

Height,  3654  inches;  width,  49  inches  * 

It  is  a  late  afternoon  in  tKe  early  fall.  TKe  wind  is 
blowing,  and  tke  cloud  shadows  play  over  tke  land^ 
scape.  TKe  ligKt  is  concentrated  on  tke  flying  clouds 
in  the  center  of  tke  composition,  in  contra^  to  wKick, 
on  tke  rigkt,  is  a  massive  group  of  trees  in  lines  of  deep 
krown  and  green.  In  tke  central  foreground  is  an  in? 
dication  of  a  meadow  marsk  witk  cool  green  grass. 
To  tke  rigkt,  gray  rocks  and  field  flowers  catck  tke 
kgkt.  Beyond  tke  skadow  tke  difRised  ligkt  of  tke 
di^ance  is  revealed  in  warm  neutralized  kues. 

Tkis  IS  one  of  tke  great  canvases  of  Wyant,  in 
wkick  tke  ck  aracteristics  of  our  local  landscape  are 
expressed  witk  complete  knowledge  and  loving  inti* 
macy  in  a  well?kalanced  and  imposing  composition. 
It  is  keavily  but  freely  painted.  Tke  ligkt  clouds  above 
tke  korizon  are  warm  cream  color,  toucked  witk  red, 
tke  clouds  of  tke  central  area  are  warm  gray,  wkile 
tke  dark  clouds  above  are  in  kues  of  graysblue. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant 

RHODE  ISLAND  SCHOOL  OF  DESIGN,  PROVIDENCE. 


67 


[26] 


SUMMER  LANDSCAPE 

Height,  16  inches;  width,  22  inches 

A  group  of  trees  rises  from  sloping  ground  at  the 
right  to  the  top  of  the  canvas,  while  a  woodland 
stream  nestles  quietly  below,  par  tly  lost  in  the  shadow 
of  the  trees.  To  the  left,  tender  trees  grow  above  a 
rocky  knoll,  and  beyond,  the  distant  country  stretches 
in  golden  sunHght.  The  sky  is  clouded,  throwing  a 
shadow  over  the  foreground. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
THE  LAYTON  ART  GALLERY,  MILWAUKEE. 

[27] 
A  GRAY  DAY 

Height,  16  inches;  width,  24  inches 

A  charming  example  in  grays  and  graysgreen.  The 
composition  is  simple.  From  a  flat  meadowland  two 
trees  rise  in  dark  pattern  again^  the  sky.  The  roof 
of  a  farm  house  is  seen  just  beyond.  The  sunlight 
touches  the  di^ant  horizon  in  lines  of  neutral  gold, 
while  the  fir^  plane  is  in  soft  shadow  colors  of  gray, 
blue,  green  and  passages  of  brown,  relieved  by  gray 
rocks  in  the  immediate  foreground. 

The  cloud  forms  are  tenderly  modulated  in  various 
values  of  gray  and  a  note  of  faint  blue. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  ROBERT  HANDLEY. 


68 


[28] 

SUNSET  AFTER  STORM 

Height,  18  inches;  width,  24  inches 

A  group  of  pidluresque  trees  is  seen  in  dark  siUious 
ette  against  an  evening  sky,  forming  a  stately  and.  im? 
posing  pattern.  The  korizon  is  placed  low  on  tke 
canvas.  Dark  clouds  above  confine  tke  Hgkt  to  tke 
left  of  tke  center,  in  striking  contra^  to  wkick  tke 
trees,  in  fij.ll  foliage,  rise  to  tke  upper  part  of  tke  corns 
position  and  recede  to  tke  rigkt.  On  tke  left  a  group 
of  low  trees  keeps  tke  eye  of  tke  spectator  firom  go? 
mg  out  of  tke  picture.  In  tke  central  foreground  a 
pool  reflects  tke  kgkt  sky.  A  patk  leads  from  tke  left? 
kand  corner  and  is  followed  again,  going  over  tke  ris* 
ing  ground  keyond,  tkus  accentuating  tke  dominant 
rkytkmoftke  composition.  Tke  tone  is  low  in  value. 
Tke  color,  altkougk  not  intense,  is  suggestive,  being 
variations  of  deep  browns  and  greens,  relieved  by  tke 
warm  sunset  color  of  tke  sky. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 


73 


[29] 


MORNING  AT  NAVESINK 

Height,  18  inches;  width,  30  inches 

WitKin  tKe  small  dimensions  of  this  canvas 
painter  Kas  given  a  perfect  illusion  of  expanse  and 
aerial  perspective.  TKe  composition  is  oblong;  tKe 
Korizon  placed  above  tKe  center.  From  an  elevation 
one  looks  over  a  gradually  decHning  wooded  country, 
to  tKe  valley  indicated  by  tKe  stream  below.  TKe 
Kills  beyond  recede  into  tKe  uncertain  atmospKeric 
Kaze.  Fires,  indicated  by  notes  of  rising  smoke,  accent 
tKe  distant  plane.  A  patK  leads  from  tKe  left  fore= 
ground  to  a  large  rock,  below  wKicK  is  indicated  a 
female  figure  witK  wKite  waist.  A  leafless  tree  breaks 
tKe  Korizon  on  tKe  left,  wKHe  on  tKe  rigKt  tKe  compo* 
sition  is  balanced  by  a  group  of  low  trees  leading  to 
tKe  center,  and  sKowing  tKe  contour  of  tKe  ground. 

TKe  pidlure  is  gray  in  tone  and  tKe  effedl  depends 
not  so  mucK  on  color  as  relative  values.  Contrary  to 
tKe  traditional  scKeme  of  centering  tKe  composition 
witK  HgKt,  Wyant  in  tKis  pidlure  Kas  arranged  Kis 
gradations  to  lead  to  a  central  dark.  AltKougK  delis 
cate  in  feeKng  and  efFedl,  tKe  painter  Kas  expressed 
tKe  soKdity  of  tKe  eartK  and  tKe  encKanting  cKarm  of 
expanse. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant, 
COLLECTION  OF  THE  HON,  W.  A.  CLARK. 


74 


[30] 


AUTUMN  AFTERNOON 

Height,  40  inches;  width,  50  Inches 

It  is  in  the  late  afternoon.  TKe  warm  diffused  liglit 
filters  tkrougK  gray  clouds,  and  toucKes  tKe  distance 
in  Kues  of  subdued  gold.  TKe  leaves  kave  commenced 
to  turn  and  tKe  green  grass  of  summer  Kas  disaps 
peared.  A  small  mountain  brook  runs  quietly  by  tKe 
edge  of  a  wood,  refledting  tKe  foliage  in  Kues  of  brown 
and  tKe  sky  in  cool  notes  of  gray.  TKe  sKadow  of  tKe 
fir^  plane  is  in  low  tones  of  brown  contra^ed  by 
emerande  green.  From  tKe  central  foreground  a 
slender  bircK  tree  toucKed  by  golden  ligKt  reacKes  to 
tKe  top  of  tKe  canvas,  to  tKe  rigKt  of  wKicK  a  tree  in 
fuller  foliage  blocks  tKe  vista.  Gray  rocks  form  tKe 
embankment  of  tKe  stream,  and  tKis  color  is  repeated 
at  tKe  left. 

TKe  composition  is  not  altogetKer  Kappy,  but  tKe 
color  is  essentially  cKaracteristic. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant,  1885. 


79 


[31] 


THE  COMING  STORM 

Height,  16  inches;  width,  20  inches 

Wyant  seldom  attempted  the  dramatic  or  efFedts 
of  adlion.  TKe  present  example  is  a  studio  ^udy  of  a 
natural  effect  impressed  upon  the  mmd  ofthe  pamter. 
It  has  more  spontaneity  in  the  treatment  than  is  usual 
with  Wyant.  It  suggei^s  Inness. 

The  painting  is  quite  thin,  in  places  hardly  more 
than  a  transparent  wash  over  the  raw  canvas.  The 
palette  is  simple:  black,  white;  yellow  ochre;  light 
red ;  and  permanent  blue. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
From  the  Wyant  Sale,  1894. 

[32] 

AN  AUGUST  DAY 

Height,  14  inches;  width,  17  inches 

A  group  of  dark  trees  on  the  right  throw  a  shadow 
over  the  hilltop,  from  which  one  sees  the  sunlit  valley 
and  dii^ant  country  below.  The  composition  is  cir? 
cular  in  its  arrangement,  the  light  being  concen? 
trated  in  the  center  and  the  overhanging  clouds  trian* 
gularly  breaking  the  corners  ofthe  canvas  above. 
Two  cows  accent  the  central  plane.  The  norizon  IS 
lost  in  heavy  atmosphere,  above  which  ominous 
cumulous  clouds  indicate  a  change  of  weather. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  GEORGE  S.  PALMER. 


8o 


[33] 


MOUNTAIN  LAKE 

Height,  20  inches;  width,  30  inches 

From  a  KigK  mountain  clearing  one  looks  downs 
ward  over  rugged  rocky  slopes  to  a  lake  wKicK,  re= 
fleeting  tKe  cool  sky,  forms  the  note  of  central  attrac* 
tion.  TKe  firmly  modeled,  rolling  Kills  terminate  tKe 
sky  line,  to  tKe  rigKt  of  wKicK  one  Kas  a  glimpse  of  a 
more  di^ant  mountain  range.  Dark  gray  clouds  in 
tKe  upper  part  of  tKe  sky  confine  tKe  attention  to  tKe 
ligKter  creamscolored  clouds  tKat  float  over  tKe  nori5 
zon.  A  group  of  trees  to  tKe  left,  tKe  foliage  of  wKicK 
is  ma^erfully  mode  led  ,  form  a  cKaracteristic  arrange^ 
ment. 

TKe  ledge  of  rock  tKat  Kreaks  tKe  fir^  plane  sKows 
tKe  sensitive  and  nervous  KandKng  of  tKe  painter  in 
Kis  favorite  Kues  of  gray.  TKe  pigment  Kas  Keen  given 
sugge^ive  texture  to  add  solidity  to  tKe  foreground. 
TKe  sky  is  in  deKcate  sequences  of  gray  Klue;  tKe 
landscape  in  variations  of  Krownand  gold,  con  traced 
by  cool  greens. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant. 


85 


L34] 


ADIRONDACK  SOLITUDE 

Height,  17  inches;  width,  14^  inches 

A  typical  and  temperamental  V/yant  in  cKaracs 
teristic  kues  of  gray,  brown  and  neutral  green.  On 
tKe  left  a  group  of  tall  graceful  trees  is  arranged  in 
effedlive  pattern  again^  a  clouded  but  luminous  gray 
sky  witb  a  toucK  of  blue  binting  of  fair  weatber. 

Tbe  predominant  colors  of  tbe  first  plane,  wbicb  is 
in  sbadow,  are  dark  green  and  brown.  Tbe  pigment 
is  given  texture  to  sugge^  form  and  solidity,  and  tbe 
glazing  gives  a  ricb  quality  to  tbe  color. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 

[35] 

SUMMER  SILENCE 

Height,  35  inches;  width,  28  inches 

A  well-balanced  classical  composition  of  fine  quals 
ity.  Tbe  foreground,  in  sbadow,  is  of  subdued  gray? 
green  and  brown.  Two  stately  trees  rise  firom  tbe 
firi^  plane,  tbe  foliage  forming  a  pleasing  pattern  or 
foil,  beyond  wbicb  is  a  typical  mountain  vista.  Tbe 
sky  is  gray  and  pearl,  witb  small  passing  clouds  sugs 
ge^ing  tbe  sun  tbat  tbrows  its  warm  ligbt  on  tbe  clear? 
ing  below,  forming  an  effedlive  contrast  to  tbe  middle 
distance,  wbicb  is  in  subdued  sbadow. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 

From  the  Wyant  Sale. 

Formerly  in  the  Hearn  Collection. 

86 


[36] 


SPRING 

Height,  15  inches;  width,  22^  inches 

A  group  of  trees  in  early  leaf  rises  from  a  hillside 
on  tKe  rigkt,  wkicK  slopes  to  a  small  lake  in  tke  center, 
reflecting  its  shadowed  embankment.  Beyond,  tKe 
undulating  landscape  recedes  to  the  distant  Korizon. 
It  is  painted  in  tender  kues  of  warm  gray^green, 
KeigKtened  in  tke  ligkt,  wkile  the  soft  skadows  are  in 
cool  greens,  over  krown.  Tke  sky,  veiled  witk  film? 
like  clouds,  is  in  tints  of  warm  gray,  witk  a  suggestion 
of  pearly  klue  keyond.  Notes  of  cool  reflected  kgkt 
touck  tke  kuskes  to  tke  rigkt.  Tke  pigment  is  keavily 
applied  in  tke  foreground  to  give  solidity  and  sugge^ 
detail. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 

EVANS  COLLECTION,  NATIONAL  GALLERY,  WASHINGTON. 


[37] 


A  WAYSIDE  POOL 

Height,  20  inches;  width,  30  inches 

An  open  landscape  witK  gray  rock  ledges  on  either 
side  of  a  pool  wKicK  refledls  the  cool  gray  of  the  sky. 
The  foreground,  representing  the  uncultivated  ran? 
dom  of  wild  fields,  is  in  varying  hues  of  hrown  and 
neutral  hlue^green,  the  pigment  texture  suggesting 
naturahstic  form.  A  row  of  trees,  in  shadow,  appears 
in  abrupt  contra^  again^  the  sky  on  the  right,  beyond 
which  the  di^ant  Wretch  of  country  is  seen  in  faint 
warm  sunlight.  The  sky,  which  unfortunately  is  not 
revealed  in  the  reprodudtion,  is  exceptionally  fine. 

The  hght  is  concentrated  on  the  clouds  in  the  cen* 
tral  area  and  emphasized  by  heavy  pigment  quaHty, 
bringing  out  in  happy  contrast  the  delicate  ethereal 
field  of  azure  beyond.  One  feels  the  ambient  air,  the 
solidity  of  the  earth  and  the  illimitable  expanse  of 
both. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant. 


92 


[38] 


HOUSATONIC  VALLEY 

Height,  24  inches;  width,  36  inches 

A  low4ying  valley  witK  scattered  trees  and  diss 
tant  hills;  clouds,  faintly  defined  in  hues  of  grayish 
blue,  float  languidly  before  the  more  di^ant  area  of 
ivory,  becoming  darker  as  tbey  near  tbe  horizon.  The 
trees  on  the  right  are  in  dark  green,  and  this  color  is 
repeated  in  lighter  hue  with  variations  of  ochre,  in 
the  shadow  of  the  fir^  plane.  The  sunlight  of  the 
middle  di^ance  is  of  light  gold  and  graysgreen.  To 
the  left  a  group  of  low  trees  balances  the  composition. 
Painted  with  a  firee^flowing  brush. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 

EVANS  COLLECTION,  NATIONAL  GALLERY,  WASHINGTON. 


97 


[39] 


SUMMER  EVENING 

Height,  14  inches;  width,  22  inches 

Tke  sun  has  passed  beyond  tke  di^ant  mountains 
and  touches  tke  clouds  above  witk  delicate  kues  of 
rose  and  gold.  It  is  early  autumn;  tke  leaves  kave 
ckanged  to  a  deep  russet  color,  wkick  is  accentuated 
by  tke  v^arm  glow  of  evening.  A  lake  in  tke  middle 
ground  refledls  tke  cooler  note  of  tke  upper  sky. 

Tke  dominant  colors  of  gold  and  brown  are  kap? 
pily  contra^ed  by  tke  cool  greens  of  tke  foreground 
killside.  Tkis  is  an  exquisite  example  of  rick  vibrant 
tone,  produced  by  tkin  overspaintings  and  delicate, 
warm  transparent  glazes. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 

[40] 
LANDSCAPE 

Height,  20  inches;  width,  28  inches 

Tke  fir^  plane  is  in  skadow.  On  tke  left,  slender 
lacelike  trees  silkouette  again^  tke  sky,  confining  tke 
attention  to  tke  center  of  tke  canvas,  wkere  tke  suns 
ligkt  kits  tke  landscape  in  radiant  kues  of  ockre.  To 
tke  rigkt  a  group  of  trees,  witk  pidluresque  terminal 
tion,  make  tke  contra^  more  effedlive.  Tke  clouded 
sky  skows  signs  of  ckanging  weatker. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
PROPERTY  OF  THE  BROOKLYN  MUSEUM. 


98 


[41] 


AUTUMN  IN  ARKVILLE 

Height,  20  inches;  width,  28^4  inches 

A  cold  autumnal  sky,  witK  Keavy  graysbluc  flying 
clouds,  indicating  wind.  A  distant  glimpse  of  sun* 
ligkt  in  kues  of  ockre  focuses  attention  at  tke  center 
oftke  composition.  Tke  horizon  cuts  tke  canvas  ju^ 
below  tke  center,  wkile  it  is  crossed  perpendicularly 
at  tke  rigkt  by  a  group  of  trees,  tke  leaves  of  wkick 
kave  been  colored  by  early  frosts.  A  slender  leafless 
tree  terminates  tke  group  at  tke  left.  A  patkway 
leads  into  tke  pidlure  from  tke  rigkt,  to  tke  left  of 
wkick  a  pool  refledls  tke  cool  grays  of  tke  sky.  Tke 
fields  are  in  kues  of  deep  brown,  reKeved  by  tke  gray 
of  outcropping  rocks  and  occasional  touckes  of  green. 
Tke  tecknique  is  vigorous  and  fi^ee. 

Tke  subjedt  was  repeated  in  tke  larger  picfture 
owned  by  tke  Rkode  Island  Sckool  of  Design  and  also 
reproduced  kere. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 

EVANS  COLLECTION,  NATIONAL  GALLERY,  WASHINGTON. 


103 


[42] 

ADIRONDACK  VISTA 

Height,  2454  inches;  width,  18}4  inches 

A  typical  scene  of  an  Adirondack  mountan  clear? 
ing,  showing  a  valley  wi til  tKe  di^ant  gray  mountain 
range  wKicK  confines  it. 

On  tKe  rigKt  tKe  edge  of  woods  runs  perpendicu? 
larly  out  of  tKe  canvas,  tKe  termination  or  tKe  trees 
forming  a  decorative  and  pidluresque  pattern  against 
tKe  sky. 

A  patK  leads  from  tKe  sKadow  of  tKe  foreground  to 
tKe  warm,  sunlit  clearing  beyond.  TKe  point  of  focal 
concentration  is  empKasized  Ky  tKe  note  of  a  wKite 
Kouse,  before  wKicK  is  a  tree  in  sunligKt  against  a 
wooded  background  in  sKadow.  A  group  of  trees  at 
tKe  left,  tKe  edge  of  wKicK  is  softened  by  a  bircK  in 
delicate  Kalf  tone,  completes  tKe  composition.  TKe 
sky  is  of  silver  gray  witK  toucKes  of  gray?blue,  tKe 
nearby  foliage  is  in  Kues  of  brown  and  warm  green, 
tKe  ligKts  are  of  ocKre  color. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  GEORGE  S.  PALMER. 


104 


« 


[43] 
NOVEMBER 

Height,  16  inches;  width,  22  inches 

Contrary  to  tke  usual  pradlice  of  placing  tke  fore* 
ground  in  shadow,  it  is  here  seen  in  sunligkt.  The 
dominant  adtion  follows  tkis  light  from  right  to  left 
and  is  then  brought  into  the  pidlure  again  by  the  di? 
recftion  of  the  road  and  the  white  house  at  the  extreme 
left.  Dark  trees  above  diredt  the  attention  to  the  cens 
tral  light  where  the  hillside,  in  shadow,  sloping  up? 
wards  to  the  right,  forms  an  effective  contra^  against 
the  clouded  sky. 

This  little  example  is  characteristic  of  the  sensitive 
and  decisive  touch  of  the  painter.  Much  of  its  charm 
is  due  to  the  well?considered  texture  and  pigment 
quahty. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant 

[44] 
A  GRAY  DAY 

Height,  18  inches;  width,  22  inches 

A  group  of  gnarled  pidluresque  trees,  on  which  few 
leaves  remain,  appear  again^  the  sky  at  the  left  of  the 
composition.  The  light  is  concentrated  on  a  lake  in 
the  middle  ground,  in  contra^  to  which  the  first  plane 
is  placed  in  shadow.  A  range  of  rugged  mountains 
form  a  di^ant  barrier,  above  which  the  re^less  clouds 
show  signs  of  changing  weather.  The  prevailing  tone 
of  the  picture  is  gray,  with  gHmpses  of  pale  blue  in  the 

109 


sky,  touches  of  white  in  the  clouds,  blue  in  the  water 
of  the  lake,  green  in  the  foreground  and  brown  in  the 
sparse  fohage  of  the  trees.  The  trees  and  a  bush  in  Hne 
with  them  to  the  right  are  in  shadow. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  RALPH  KING. 


no 


[45] 

A  WET  AFTERNOON 

Height,  26  inches;  width,  39^  inches 

A  row  of  young  trees,  in  sKadow  again^  a  ligKt 
sky,  runs  diagonally  toward  the  center  oftKe  canvas 
where  tKe  land  extends  in  diminishing  perspective. 
A  glimpse  of  sky,  under  the  trees  to  the  right,  enforces 
the  dominant  line,  and  is  again  echoed  by  the  dark  sky 
above,  thus  confining  the  focal  point  to  the  middle  of 
the  composition.  A  soft  warm  light  from  a  clouded 
sun  plays  over  the  di^ance.  The  first  plane  is  in 
shadow,  reheved  by  a  pool  the  form  of  which,  leading 
into  the  pidture  from  the  right,  accents  the  rhythmic 
theme.  The  manner  and  method  are  typical  of  the 
later  work  of  \Vyant. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 


"3 


[46] 

KEENE  VALLEY 

Height,  35  inches;  width,  28  inches 

From  tKe  shadow  at  the  edge  of  a  wood  one  looks 
under  slender  graceful  trees,  tlie  leafage  of  wKicK 
decorates  tKe  upper  part  of  the  canvas,  to  a  sunlit 
mountain  vi^a  beyond.  A  rippling  brook  flows  to^ 
ward  the  spectator  and  occupies  tbe  immediate  fores 
ground. 

At  tbe  left  a  graceful  tree  termination  confines  tbe 
attention  to  tbe  central  area  of  tbe  composition. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  CYRUS  H.  MC  CORMICK. 


114 


\ 


[47] 


THE  BROAD  SILENT  VALLEY 

Height,  6O54  inches;  width,  50 inches 

One  of  the  great  works  of  Wyant,  tKe  purpose  of 
wkicK  is  not  merely  to  represent  a  locality  but  to  ex* 
press  tke  mood  of  tke  painter.  It  is  akin  to  Rembrandt 
in  its  rick,  full  tonal  quality  and  ckiaroscuro.  Tke 
composition  is  simple,  tke  effedt  impressive. 

A  group  of  tall  trees  rise  from  tke  left  foreground 
to  tke  top  of  tke  canvas.  Tke  fir^  plane  is  in  skadow. 
Tke  ligkt  is  concentrated  on  tke  clouds  in  tke  center 
of  tke  canvas  above  tke  gold^illumined  di^ance.  A 
touck  of  ligkt  in  tke  foreground  indicates  a  marsk. 
Tkis  is  repeated  by  tke  gray  note  of  tke  water  bekind 
tke  trees.  On  tke  rigkt  a  rocky  ledge  and  tke  rise  of 
ground  wkick  it  forms,  confines  tke  attention  to  tke 
center  of  tke  composition. 

Tke  predominating  colors  are  variations  of  deep 
brown  broken  by  bluesgreen.  Tke  clouds  are  of  warm 
golden  kue,  contra^ed  by  tke  blue?green  of  more  dis* 
tant  sky. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 

HEARN  COLLECTION,  METROPOLITAN  MUSEUM  OF  ART. 


119 


[48] 

NOVEMBER  DAY 

Height,  18  inches;  width,  36  inches 

A  prospedl  of  lake  and  di^ant  country  is  seen  from 
a  cleared  hillside  wKicK  forms  tke  firi^  plane.  Dark, 
ominous  wind=blown  clouds  hurry  onwards.  In  strik? 
ing  and  dramatic  contra^  to  the  di^ance,  which  is  in 
deep  shadow,  the  sun  hits  a  white  vaporous  cloud, 
brought  into  further  relief  by  a  pidluresque  group  of 
trees  to  the  right.  A  figure  with  white  cap  watches 
the  approaching  storm. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 


[49] 

IN  THE  HOLLOW 

Height,  lOVa  inches;  width,  17  inches* 

This  is  a  mo^  interei^ing  transcript  from  nature. 
The  quiet  and  repose  of  the  arti^'s  soul  has  been 
rudely  awakened  by  the  rugged,  wild  and  de^rudlive 
aspedt  of  nature.  The  quiet,  soft  di^ant  vi^a  disap? 
pears  and  the  material  earth  cuts  an  insi^ent  line 
again^  a  menacing  sky.  It  is  in  the  fall;  the  wind  is 
blowing.  Scattered  twigs  and  branches  strew  the 
ground.  A  group  of  young  trees  bravely  resi^  the 
elements.  One  to  the  right  has  fallen. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 


I20 


I 


[50] 


ANY  MAN'S  LAND 

Height,  18]^  inches;  width,  305^  inches 

One  of  tke  mo^  dramatic  and  powerful  pidlures 
painted  by  V/yant.  A  sense  of  tke  unrelenting  and 
irresi^ible  force  of  nature  is  expressed  in  tke  adtion 
of  the  clouds,  tke  dark  ominous  shadows,  and  tke  mas^ 
sive  rocks  in  tke  sunlit  di^ance. 

Dark  clouds  kurry  korizontally  across  tke  upper 
sedlion  of  tke  composition.  Tke  sun  kits  tke  central 
cloud  area  and  casts  its  fleeting  radiance  over  tke  diss 
tant  kills,  wkick  form  a  barrier  to  tke  perspedlive.  It 
is  a  desolate  expanse  of  country,  sparsely  grown. 

A  single  tree  in  deep  skadowis  seen  at  tke  left,  and 
a  ^ream  winding  tkrougk  marsky  land  reflects  tke 
sky  in  tke  foreground.  It  is  in  tke  fall  of  tke  year. 
Tke  predominant  colors  are  brown,  black  and  gray, 
tke  di^ance  yellow  ockre  and  ligkt  gray,  witk  a  note 
of  effedtive  contra^  in  a  touck  of  blue^green  in  tke 
upper  sky. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  J.  WILLIAM  CLARKE. 


125 


[51] 


SILVER  BIRCHES 

Height,  20  inches;  width,  16  inches 

Illustrating  the  later  metkod  of  sketching  from  nas 
ture,  showing  generaHzation  of  form  and  unity  of  ims 
pression,  with  free  and  expressive  hrushwork.  The 
arrangement  has  more  to  do  with  lighting  than  the 
disposition  of  the  ohjedrs. 

Looking  from  an  open  space  bordered  on  either  side 
by  tall  slender  birch  trees,  one  sees  the  intricate  forms 
of  deep  woods.  The  shadow  is  confined  to  the  center 
of  the  canvas,  from  which  a  fir  tree  rises  to  the  upper 
part  of  the  canvas. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant. 

[52] 

WOOD  INTERIOR 

Height,  17  inches;  width,  14  inches 

Three  trees  rise  firom  the  shadow  of  the  fir^  plane 
again^  the  diffused  light  of  the  wood  which  forms  the 
background.  The  sunsillumined  rocks  of  the  second 
plane  form  the  high  light.  A  touch  of  sky  is  indicated 
through  the  trees  in  the  upper  part  of  the  pid:ure. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant. 


126 


[53] 


MOONLIGHT  AND  FROST 

Height,  28  inches;  width,  36  inches 

ApatK  approacKes  from  the  edge  of  a  lake,  tke  diss 
tant  skore  of  wkicK  is  faintly  discernible.  On  tke 
rigkt  a  dark  group  of  trees  rises  to  tke  top  of  tke  cans 
vas.  Tke  full  moon  skines  tkrougk  vaporous  clouds, 
casing  an  orbed  radiance  and  diffusing  its  silvery 
ligkt  over  tke  landscape.  Above,  tke  clouds  merge 
into  tke  indefinite  forms  of  nigkt.  It  is  freely  painted 
over  an  unprepared  canvas  and  lacks  sometking  of 
tke  rick  quality  and  deptk  of  tone  seen  in  many  of 
Wyant's  pidlures  produced  by  glazing.  Tke  color 
sckemc  is  in  various  tones  of  gray,  gray^brov/n,  and  a 
sugge^ion  of  gray^purple  in  tke  sky,  in  contra^  to 
wkick  tke  kalo  surrounding  tke  moon  is  of  a  ligkt  sil* 
very  green^blue. 

Signed  at  the  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 

PROPERTY  OF  THE  BROOKLYN  MUSEUM. 


[54] 


WOODLAND  STUDY 

Height,  12  inches;  width,  16  inches 

A  late  sketck  from  nature,  particularly  intere^ing 
for  comparison  with  early  ^udies.  Here  tke  problem 
of  light  and  relative  values,  of  texture,  surface  quals 
ity  and  color  assume  a  significance  quite  different 
from  tke  more  pkotograpkic  rendering  of  tke  early 
^udies  from  nature.  Individual  details  are  sacrificed 
to  tke  larger  forms,  tke  realization  of  tke  part  to  tke 
comprekension  of  tke  wkole.  As  a  result  we  see 
greater  carrying  power  and  volume,  and  tke  subjec; 
tion  of  irrelevant  detail. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A  Sketch,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  CHARLES  W.  GOULD. 


[55] 

ROCKS  WITH  WATERFALL 

Height,  18  inches;  width,  24  inches 

Altkougk  tkis  is  an  unfinisked  pidlure,  it  is  ex? 
tremely  inter  e^ing  to  tke  ^udent  of  Wyant  in  exem* 
ing  his  metkod  and  manner  of  painting.  Tke 
form  is  rendered  carefully  but  vigorously  in  a  trans? 
parent  kue  of  burnt  sienna,  blue  and  emerande.  Over 
tkis,  tke  cooler  and  more  opaque  color  was  added,  tke 
ligkt  being  empkasized  in  tke  waterfall.  Tkis  pic? 
ture  was  muck  admired  by  Winslow  Homer. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant,  1881. 

FORMERLY  OWNED  BY  THE  LATE  MR.  GUSTAV  REICHARD. 


132 


[56] 


AFTERNOON 

Height,  9  inches;  width,  14  inches 

TKe  composition  is  focused  in  the  center,  wKere  tKe 
sloping  ground  of  tKe  middle  plane  is  brought  in  abrupt 
contra^  to  the  di^ance  and  emphasized  by  a  delicate 
cloud  shadow.  From  a  basinlike  formation,  the 
ground  rises  to  the  right,  the  undulating  contour  of 
which  is  accentuated  by  light  ochre^gray  outcropping 
rocks.  A  mountain,  in  faint  pearly  blue  silhouette, 
forms  the  di^ant  sky  line. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant 

THE  MUSEUM  OF  ART,  WORCESTER,  MASS. 

[57] 

THE  LONELY  FARMHOUSE 

Height,  14J^  inches;  width,  20J^  inches 

In  an  oblong  composition  the  horizon  is  placed  be? 
low  the  center  of  the  canvas.  The  foreground  is  in 
shadow,  relieved  only  by  a  note  of  sky  color  in  a 
nearby  pool,  and  a  sugge^ion  of  outcropping  rocks. 

A  hedge  of  tender  growth  leads  into  the  pidture 
from  the  left,  above  which  a  single  tree  is  given  promi? 
nence  again^  the  sky.  The  golden  sunUt  di^ance  is 
emphasized  by  a  low  white  house  with  open  door,  to 
the  right  of  which  is  a  group  of  protedling  trees. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
From  the  Wyant  Sale,  1894. 

COLLECTION  OF  THE  HON.  W.  A.  CLARKE. 


V 


[38] 

AN  OLD  BEECH 

Height,  16  inches;  width,  22  inches 

Looking  into  a  deep  woods,  the  sKadow  forming 
the  central  area,  againstl  wKicK  a  finely  modeled  beecK 
tree  rises  firom  tKe  foreground  to  tKe  upper  terminal 
tion  of  the  canvas.  TKe  fir^  plane  is  in  soft  sunlight. 
Pigment  texture  plays  an  important  part  in  the  sugs 
gei^ion  of  the  form. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  W.  A.  WHITE. 


138 


[59] 


DRIFTING  CLOUDS 

Height,  18%  inches;  width,  26  inches 

A  supremely  fine  rendering  of  cloud  form,  painted 
thinly  over  a  new  canvas,  witk  firee  brusKing  and 
unrestrained  enthusiasm.  A  flat  barren  country- 
stretches  in  unbroken  expanse  to  the  extreme  diss 
tance,  where  low4ying  hills  catch  the  fleeting  rays  of 
golden  sunlight. 

A  dark  pidluresque  tree  breaks  again^  the  sky  at 
the  right,  while  the  central  area  is  occupied  by  a 
marshland  ^ream,  reflecting  the  cool  notes  of  the  sky. 
The  ground  is  laid  in  with  a  glaze  of  burnt  sienna  and 
black,  over  which  the  cooler  greens  and  grays  have 
been  thinly  painted.  The  sky  is  modeled  almo^  in 
monotone,  with  accents  of  cream^white  on  the  cen? 
tral  clouds  and  graysbrown  in  the  shadow.  In  the 
upper  sky  are  indications  of  the  clear  blue  beyond. 

Signed  at  the  lower  left,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  SIDNEY  CURTIS. 


143 


[60] 


PASSING  SHADOWS 

Height,  2854  inches;  width,  35^4  inches 

TKe  composition  is  extremely  simple.  TKe  Korizon 
cuts  the  canvas  somewhat  below  tKe  center.  On  tKe 
rigKt  is  a  dark  group  of  trees,  pidluresque  in  outline, 
sugge^ing  Corot.  TKe  foreground  is  in  skadow  colors 
of  neutral  gray?green.  Note  the  significant  touches 
of  dark,  leading  tKe  eye  from  tKe  rigKt.  TKe  sunKgKt 
of  tKe  fir^  plane  is  in  warm  Kues  sugge^ing  yellow 
ocKre,  wKile  tKe  di^ance  is  in  cloud  sKadow.  TKe 
sky  is  painted  in  variations  of  gray,  tKe  ligKt  being 
concentrated  on  tKe  large  floating  clouds  in  tKe  center. 
To  tKe  left,  fleecy  clouds  of  darker  Kue  move  slowly. 
A  toucK  of  di^ant  blue  is  effecftively  placed  in  tKe 
upper  part  of  tKe  sky. 

Over  a  warm  underground  of  transparent  color, 
Keavy  pigment  was  added  to  give  quality  of  surface 
and  texture.  On  tKis  tKe  painting  was  continued  witK 
tKin  opaque  color,  using  medium.  TKus  tKe  trees  on 
tKe  rigKt  are  very  freely  rendered,  wKile  tKe  busKes 
tKat  border  tKeir  edge  are  laid  in  sugge^ively  witK 
tKe  palette  knife. 

Signed  at  the  lower  right,  A.  H.  Wyant. 
COLLECTION  OF  MR.  JACOB  H.  SCHIFF. 


144 


Two  HUNDRED  AND  FIFTY  COPIES 
OF  THIS  BOOK  ON  DUTCH  HAND? 
MADE  PAPER  PRIVATELY  PRINTED 
BY  FREDERIC  FAIRCHILD  SHERMAN 


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